On the Right Track: Business Forms

Business forms can always be improved upon for clarity, consistency and better customer service.

To aid in this venture, Lawn & Landscape presents a collection of forms currently being used by landscape contractors successfully in the industry.

DESIRED REVENUE PER DAY. This cost justification worksheet can help contractors figure out the cost for using an walk-behind aerator on a job so they can price their service accordingly to make a profit.

PROFIT SHARING SCORE SHEET. This sheet gives an example of how to score employee performance for the purpose of profit sharing.

SAMPLE CONTRACT. The contract Ray Pelletier, president, Ray’s Lawn & Garden, Naples, Fla., uses is a one-page document listing 11 specific conditions.

An important clause to include in a landscape maintenance contract, according to Pelletier, is the 30-day clause. This clause gives the customer or the contractor a chance to change or cancel the agreement for any reason provided a 30-day notice is given.

CLIENT SURVEY. Keeping track of how a contractor’s customers feel about their lawn care or lawn maintenance service is crucial to customer satisfaction and retention.

HOURLY WAGE CONFIGURATIONS. The fixed salary for a fluctuating work week pay system is often used in the lawn care industry. It provides that the employee receives a fixed salary from week to week. The salary may be prorated only during the employee’s first or last week of employment. If the employee works more than 40 hours, the salary is averaged over each hour worked so that the amount of overtime the employee receives is "half time."